Hospice of Western Reserve's expansion helps to further its mission

Maribeth Joeright/MJoeright@News-Herald.comLaVon Moore, left, and Bob Essell remove bricks and other materials from the former St. Joesph Christian Life Center in Cleveland. The materials will be repurposed by the Hospice of of the Western Reserve which is expanding.

Twelve acres skirting the shores of Lake Erie on Cleveland's northeast border has a storied history of providing comfort and support, and now a new chapter is starting.

Hospice of the Western Reserve purchased the property -- site of the former St. Joseph Christian Life Center -- from the Cleveland Catholic Diocese in 2009.

Read more about the history of the St. Joseph Christian Life Center land here.

And the creation of a seamless connection to the adjacent Hospice House property on East 185th Street is in the works, though prior careful planning was required because of its landmark status.

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The marriage of the properties is a pleasing one, according to Hospice of the Western Reserve CEO David Simpson and Ward 11 Cleveland City Councilman Michael Polensek.

"We basically have 20 acres of prime land on Lake Erie shores. It's fantastic because it's going to put us on Lake Shore Boulevard," Simpson said. Both visibility and accessibility will be enhanced. Currently, the only entrance to Hospice House is via East 185th Street.

Polensek said that "It's a magnificent 12 acres and my goal was to keep the property intact."

He added that it was also important to maintain and support the historical significance of the property as well as create protection for Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School and surrounding neighborhoods.

"I thought the outcome was a win-win situation not only for the community but for Hospice," Polensek said.

Future plans include a significant amount of tranquil green space and the continuation of Hospice House's Vista Walk. That focal point of the grounds consist of winding pathways composed of inscribed bricks and granite stones that memorialize and honor loved ones.

Healing and vegetable gardens and use of a former priests' quarters and a carriage house also are strong possibilities, said Hospice Project Manager Kathy Gatto.

The main 44,000-square-foot building of the Christian Life Center had structural problems that rendered it unsafe for occupancy. An $11 million fee to fix heavy water damage, black mold, asbestos and an outdated electrical system made renovation financially unfeasible. Simpson said that if the building was found to be sound it would have been used.

To preserve its legacy a process of deconstruction was set in motion.

"Deconstruction is a sustainable way to dismantle a building before demolishing portions of the space that aren't usable," Simpson explained.

Thus, old building materials will be reused, sold or recycled.

Bricks are being carefully dismantled by workers for use in the Vista Walk. Also, 15,000 square feet of the masonry will be used for memorializing opportunities and 5,000 cubic feet will go to support walkways.

"We took out enough wood that if it was laid end to end, (it) would cover two miles," Gatto said.

Marble bathroom dividers, vanity mirrors, wrought iron glass doors and rails, lighting fixtures and more are marked to be salvaged. Old tubing may encounter new life as artwork.

"More beneficial than the monetary aspect is that it shows respect for the building, the people in the neighborhood, and it helps build legacy," Gatto said.

Plans are to have the building razed by the end of December.

Deconstruction, though used to dismantle homes, is a newer concept for commercial buildings in Cleveland. The former St. Joseph Christian Life Center is one of the first on which the process is being used.

Keli Keyes of Euclid works as a nurse for Hospice of the Western Reserve. Her late mother spent time at the orphanage once located on the newly acquired property.

"I feel like in some strange way that Hospice should now have that building where my mom started," she said. "It's serendipity that I happen to work there now."

Gatto also thinks that the area is right for Hospice's work.

"When you walk the grounds of the Christian Life Center you feel a sense of mission and it feels like who we are," she said.

For those who would like to share their memories of the St. Joseph Christian Life Center, visit www.hospiceWR.org/clc.